2022 Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB

The all-new 2022 Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB is an awesome choice for skiers looking for a front-side ski with a bit wider of a waist for both balance and versatility purposes. Sometimes you get on a race ski with a narrow waist, and it’s just a whole lot to handle. The WB version comes with a 76-mm waist, which is right in line with some other wider front-side skis like Blizzard’s HRC, Volkl Deacon 76, Atomic Redster X9 WB, and others. This is about as wide as it’s going to get with the race-like construction of the Thunderbird, offering up that wider platform to stand on as well as adding a few precious mm’s underfoot and through the shape of the ski to be a bit more versatile and blast through any adverse snow conditions. While nobody would mistake these for powder skis, they definitely are more adept at plowing through crud than a true race ski. The use of Blizzard’s True Blend on-piste wood core makes a lot of sense for this application as well, allowing the ski engineers to layer stiffer and denser wood stringers into the middle-third of the ski while leaving the shovels and tails a lot more flexible and accessible for non-World Cup racers and athletes. Tip and rip and hold on tight when you’re on the Thunderbird R15 WB skis from Blizzard—a whole new level of front-side fun is available to you.

On the 182, Bob St.Pierre noted that it was a good size for him, as he’s normally on the longest possible size, especially on a front-side ski like the Thunderbird R15 WB. Bob scored the ski 5’s out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, edge hold, quickness, and maneuverability. A 4 out of 5 for overall impression is great to see on these new skis, while 2’s for flotation and versatility are not terribly surprising. “I really enjoyed these new Thunderbird R15 WB’s. There’s a huge and awesome use for a ski like this at most ski areas, and especially here in northern Vermont. While we do get good snow, there’s quite a few weeks out of the year that that’s not the case, and during that time, it makes a whole lot of sense to have a dedicated front side ski. At 76 mm underfoot, the Thunderbird gives you that little bit of extra width to make it easier and more fun without sacrificing edge grip or control, and that’s one of the best parts of this ski. You can really feel the new wood core that’s been implemented, and it makes a lot of sense in this ski, with the shovels and tails being easier to flex while the ski remains rock-solid underfoot thanks to the denser wood stringers. Overall, a really fun, composed, and poised ski for carving turns on the groomers.” It sounds like Bob really liked that extra width and dampness of the ski, and we think a lot of advanced and expert skiers who value those qualities will as well. Also on the 182, Brad Schauerman thought the sizing was good, scoring 4’s out of 5 for quickness, maneuverability, torsional stiffness, edge grip, playfulness, and overall impression. It’s always nice to see a ski of this nature get a high score for playfulness, and I think that has a lot to do with the True Blend on-piste core. Brad did ski the Thunderbird on more of a spring-like day than Bob did, so it’s nice to get the two different responses. Brad notes that “the ski was fun but hard to get a good feel in the slop. Seemed a bit more agile and playful than the HRC, but the HRC definitely plowed through crud better.” That’s likely due to the additional carbon and full-dense wood core in the similarly shaped HRC, so we’ll take that one with a grain of salt.

Jeff Neagle skied the 174, and noted that while it skied true to size, he might prefer the 182, but “then again, maybe not,” Jeff notes. “I really enjoyed skiing these. It felt like it matched my size and ability level nicely. It's not nearly as demanding or as tiring as some carving skis, specifically ones that are stiffer and with a longer turn radius. That said, it still performs at a high level. I couldn't find its limit, which is why I feel like it works particularly well for someone my size. I suppose a heavier skier with more of a race background might, but that's why Blizzard has the Firebird models. If anything, I think carving skis like the Thunderbird R15 WB are more suitable for most skiers than the typical consumer race skis. You still get 2 sheets of metal, but they feel more approachable. I do think a lot of that is coming from the shorter turn radius as the ski feels like it has more willingness to come across the fall line without the skier needing to flex it into that turn. Feels like it pulls you into a turn and just wants to keep linking them.”

If you’re looking for that front-side carver and like the sounds of a more flexible and accessible shovel and tail, the Thunderbird R15 WB is a fantastic ski. With a race-like feel and performance, but a more civilian-style of character and personality, these skis will hit a nice, broad market with a huge audience. This is the type of ski that a lot of advanced and expert skiers should look at to really round out their quiver.